Number of Homeless Female Veterans Rising

The number of homeless female veterans has doubled in the past decade, according to the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), even though the overall number of homeless veterans has decreased. Current estimates indicate there are 6,500 homeless women veterans.

Women veterans are now two to four times more likely than women civilians to be homeless, reported the Boston Globe. Young women veterans are especially affected: women account for nine percent of homeless vets under the age of 45.

A report (see PDF) issued in January by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America notes that homeless female veterans have been impacted differently by their service than their male counterparts. Severe mental health issues disproportionately affect women veterans. On average, women veterans also earn lower salaries than their male counterparts. In addition, forty percent of homeless women veterans reported being sexually assaulted by a fellow service member.

In an effort to combat homelessness for soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Veteran Affairs announced the allocation of $75 million last month to provide rental housing and support for homeless veterans.

2/27/2015 This Bipartisan Bill Will Hold Colleges Accountable for Ending Campus Sexual Assault - A bipartisan bill aimed at holding colleges and universities accountable for rape and sexual assault cases was introduced in Congress yesterday, spearheaded by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).
Some of the Campus Accountability and Safety Act's key key provisions include a requirement of confidential reporting systems on colleges and universities, minimum training requirements for campus personnel, and stricter penalties for schools found to be in violation of Title IX or the Clery Act. . . .

2/26/2015 If This Bill Passes Federal Law Will Add Consent to Sex Ed Curriculums - Right now, federal law does not require health or sex education to include sexual assault prevention - but that could change with a new bill introduced by Senators Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Tim Kaine (D-VA).
The Teach Safe Relationships Act of 2015, which was introduced earlier this month, would require all public secondary schools in the country to include teaching "safe relationship behavior" in order to help prevent domestic violence and sexual assault. . . .